I cannot call it a party, because it was so much more. I have been to a lot of Realtor’s parties. This one REALLY topped them all. Zach Ipour, founder and CEO of Megatel homes, threw a MEGA EVENT Tuesday night, a VIP experience, for the North Texas Real Estate world at Mercer Crossing, the 370 acre planned community in Farmers Branch, just north of 635 and the Luna Road exit. The billion dollar mixed use development will dramatically shift the southwestern corner of Farmers Branch into a Viridian-type environment.
I know what parties cost, and this one had at least 2500 real estate professionals, with full bar service and seated dinner. There was a huge white tent with a/c. Even the bathrooms were tip-top, those nice white trailers just like the ones at the Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance. There was a smattering of tip top producers, too, from Dave Perry-Miller’s Ryan Streif and Charles Gregory, who has already sold two homes in Mercer Crossing, ReMax Premiere’s Von Truong, Bryan Poche, Dallas City Center’s Lisa Marie Dyess-Richardson, the ubiquitous Jeff Lindigrin, and more. Donations were also raised for Guns and Hoses Foundation of North Texas.
But get this: Kevin O’Leary, Mr. Wonderful of Shark Tank, and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, who made even more news after leaving Texas, were keynote/ribbon-cutting speakers. The two sat right among the dinner guests, posing for pictures.
I’m gonna pencil it at at least $700,000, but Zach wouldn’t comment.
“We support our Realtors strongly,” says Zach Ipour, “Megatel Homes at Mercer Crossing is selling 15 to 20 homes a month. We have 640 more lots to sell, and our Realtor partners are helping us. That’s why we really want to invest in the Realtor community. I think Realtors have gone through so many grand opening parties, they’ve seen it all. We wanted to bring something new to the community.”
It was new all right. Zach says he wanted to set expectations to a higher level: first class, five star treatment for the agents. And the kind of keynote speakers you would expect to find at a conference.
Mr. Wonderful captivated with a clip from Sharktank, motivational talk, and his investment/business advice — “there are 11 sectors in the S&P, never own more than a 20% position in any one sector”. Rudy Giuliani talked about his latest client to thunderous applause. And he took questions.
“I think we can be more successful in this market with Realtor support,” said Zach. “Realtors have been a significant part of our business and success. We sell over 1000 homes a year all over Texas, mostly in DFW, and agents are our partners.”
Megatel acquired its dirt at Mercer Crossing only 18 months ago; phase one of 60 homesites has already sold out. Homes range in price from the low $400,000’s to the mid to high $500,000’s; the 2000 square foot townhome phase ($279 to $310K) will be under construction in 30 days. The models I toured were jam-packed with quality and excellent space planning, flow: they even offered an optional secondary upstairs master and media room option. Even the lower priced models had hardwoods and quartz counters, custom cabinets with soft-close drawers and sleek finishes.
I had to ask Zach how he managed to get BOTH Kevin O’Leary AND Rudy Trump, in one fell swoop, especially now that Mr. Giuliani is legal council for President Donald Trump.
“Kevin is a personal friend,” says Zach, “He and I have done many events together. And I had a prior relationship with Rudy Giuliani. When I told him the event would benefit Guns and Hoses, helping to raise money for the families of fallen first responders, he didn’t even think twice,” says Zach. “Rudy put it right on his calendar. This was before he joined the President’s legal team, of course, so I was a little worried.”
But he made it. The party was by invitation to Realtors, who gladly filled cash boots for Guns and Hoses.
“I think you can be more successful in this market with Realtor support,” says Zach, who sees Highland Homes as a sort of mentor — he has great respect for the way HH treats agents. “Anybody who sells one of our homes within next 90 days wins a $2500 bonus in addition to the 3% commission.”
And then he adds:
Pay attention for our next event.
